Tom's Poetry

there must not be a devil

or if there is a devil
he must not be as smart as i thought
or else he's too busy for me
but there must not be a devil
because if there were a devil
he could do me some awful damage
with a woman like that

there must not be a hell to send me to...
because she's beautiful as an angel
and smart as hell/sharp
as the sting of my curiosity/friendly
as only a demon can be
so shamelessly

but there can't be a hell, or i'd have slipped
down the chute into the clarity
of despair
i'd bite my forkÚd tongue
i'd be burning from fever
and begging for charity

because i'd be sinning twenty times
and more
if she'd only come
and whisper in my ear
i'd be sweating with carnal lust
at the touch of a fingertip
i'd twist & squirm, i'd lie to myself
and swear to the stars

but there must not be a devil
because if there were a devil
he would do me some awful damage
with a woman like that